


The Artistic Hearts of Robin

by Sehin



Series: November 2020 One-Shots [15]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Artists, Brotherly Bonding, Canon Compliant, Mentioned Artur, Mentioned Cassandra Cain, Mentioned Irey West, Mentioned Jai West, Mentioned Joker - Freeform, Mentioned Jon Kent, Mentioned OCs, Mentioned Tai Pham, Minor Tim Drake/Stephanie Brown - Freeform, Not Beta Read, Or What Should've Happened if DC didn't reboot the timeline, Photography, Pre-Flashpoint, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:29:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27574520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sehin/pseuds/Sehin
Summary: Surprisingly it was Damian who made the first move.One morning, Tim was in his room fiddling with his old camera with old photos spread across the floor. Once Bruce was back in charge of Wayne Enterprises, the teen had stood down and found himself bored to do something that wasn't hero related. Alfred, sensing this boredom quickly, recommended he go through his old hobbies to find which one would relieve it."I do not like idle hands, Master Tim," he had said. "Particularly a young talented man such as yourself."*    -    *    -    *    -    *Damian and Tim bonding over talents not relating to kicking Joker or any criminal's butts.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Damian Wayne
Series: November 2020 One-Shots [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994803
Kudos: 78





	The Artistic Hearts of Robin

Surprisingly it was Damian who made the first move.

One morning, Tim was in his room fiddling with his old camera with old photos spread across the floor. Once Bruce was back in charge of Wayne Enterprises, the teen had stood down and found himself bored to do something that wasn't hero related. Alfred, sensing this boredom quickly, recommended he go through his old hobbies to find which one would relieve it.

"I do not like idle hands, Master Tim," he had said. "Particularly a young talented man such as yourself."

Tim had only found his camera and photos by accident when he tripped over one of his shoes he carelessly left beside the bed, managing to stop from seriously hurting himself when he spotted the box. Pulling it out, he went on a nostalgia bend that had taken up much of the day. By the time he realised what time it was, Damian had gotten home from school and was standing in the doorway looking at the various photos scattered around.

"I take it you took these yourself, Drake?" the demon brat asked in his usual condescending way.

Tim wasn't about to let his unwanted successor as Robin to ruin a good day so just nodded. "I used to do it all the time when I was younger. My housekeeper once said I had quite the talent for it."

Damian moved into the room and picked up three different pictures. Tim watched as he studied them intensely before putting them down. "It's clear it took a lot of improvement. The first one I picked up was clearly an amateur."

Tim chuckled. "I was nine at the time. And a very bored one at that," he stood up and went to look at the photo Damian was clearly indicating. "I was trying to get a picture of Batman in the early Summer evening but I was trying not to get spotted at the same time."

The brat's eyebrow quirked up. "You followed father around when you were nine."

The taller teen nodded. "I was fascinated by him and wanted to have pictures of him," he turned and moved towards one of the better ones. "This one was taken only six months later, shortly after I figured out their identities."

Damian took the photo and studied it before nodding. "Definitely an improvement. Maybe you aren't useless after all."

Tim just nodded, figuring it was the closest thing to a complement he'll ever get from the brat. "There's more to life than being a crime-fighter. You can thank Alfred for giving me the idea to look at them."

"Pennyworth is smart sometimes," the eleven-year-old agreed. "And if it means you aren't going to be too useless to the family, you should take it up again."

The third Robin hid his surprise. _Two complements and it's only been five minutes_. "Well since I'm doing the remainder of my schooling online and I've got my own patrol routine with Steph and Cass, I've gotta do something to fill the day."

"Well then, Drake, get to it." Damian said. "Now I better get my homework done before Richard and Pennyworth find an excuse not to allow me to patrol for a little bit tonight."

And with that, the demon brat left his room. Tim stood there a moment before returning to his camera. It was an old model and could still be useful but it wouldn't hurt to have a digital one to use. After all, he did have an online presence to maintain, and going the route of Bruce and Dick seemed like a bad idea. It wasn't like Damian's one was the worst and Alfred did say he needed to fill his days again without having to put on the suit.

* - * - * - *

A month later, Tim was uploading the latest batch of photos to go through and see what to post and what to send his friends. The click of the door indicated a visitor and the teen turned to see Damian standing there.

"What is it, Damian?" he asked, somewhat troubled by this approach.

"I need to do an art project for school but can't think of anything to do," the boy replied, somewhat infuriated with himself. "I was wondering if I could use one of your photos of father with Titus to copy."

Tim smiled. "Sure, I think I have the perfect one," he quickly found it and printed it out in full colour before handing it to Damian. "Just don't completely copy it or you'll get accused of plagiarism."

"I'm not that untalented, Drake," he somewhat sneered, but a small smile came on his face. "Thank you."

The older teen's smile grew bigger. "Don't mention it, brat."

* - * - * - *

A late night out hunting for Joker had left the Bats exhausted enough that they were ready to collapse in the cave without changing. Bruce sat at the computer screen, finishing up his report while Damian and Dick dozed at the other seats while Steph was being checked by Alfred for a slight bump she'd gotten from Joker's rather enthusiastic Harley replacement. Cass and Tim, the least tired of them, had handed out the hot drinks and food that had been prepared before hand.

Tim looked at the family members present and couldn't help but wish he had his camera present to take a picture. Damian looked at him and seemed to have picked up on his thoughts immediately.

"Father," he called out to Bruce, who immediately turned. "Would it be out of turn if Timothy took a photo of all of us just like this? I think he's got the look in the eye."

The others took a look at Tim, who didn't even hide his enthusiasm for the idea though was surprised the younger Robin had asked for it. He really is surprising me alot lately.

Bruce, more than aware of his adopted son's rediscovered hobby, nodded. "I don't see why not," he replied, turning to Tim. "Do you have your camera here?"

Tim shook his head. "It's in my room. I could go get it though."

Steph, however, grabbed her phone and tossed it to him, with reflex catching it easily. "Here, make it look good."

"Drake always makes his photos look good, Brown," Damian said. "Even with the worst cameras."

Dick looked to his little brother and former partner in surprise. "Was that a compliment for Tim I just heard, Dami?"

"Of course," Damian replied. "I recognise a useful talent when I see one."

Tim chuckled. "Everyone just pretend I don't have the camera on you. Be natural."

The Bats agreed and pretended they weren't looking, being perfectly natural. Tim took a few shots, texting each of them to his own phone for upload then deleting them from Steph's phone and handing it back to her. He then walked over to Damian.

"Thanks, Damian," he said to the younger boy.

Damian smirked, though it was closer to a smile. "Don't mention it, Timothy."

* - * - * - *

When Tim decided to travel the world with Steph during her gap year and before he attended university as a full-time student, Damian had been the one to insist he take his camera and upload everyday.

"The world is a colourful one, Drake," he'd said when Tim told the family his decision. "And it be a crime to let just beauty not be captured by your eye."

The teen chuckled. "Well I'll be sure to make sure you get plenty of inspiration for your own art, brat," he replied. "Just remember I expect a wall full of your own art waiting me when I come back."

Damian stood up and put out his hand. "I'll hold onto that promise, Drake. Just as long as you fill up that camera fifty times over."

Tim took the hand and shook it. "I will," then he pulled the younger boy into his arms for a hug. Surprisingly, rather than react with violence like he would've over a year ago,

Damian also hugged his older brother back. "In this together, little brother."

"Indeed, big brother," Damian replied, slightly muffled in Tim's chest. "Don't ever let a talent go to waste."

* - * - * - *

And both kept their promises. Damian's room was soon filled with his sketch art and soon paintings. Alfred, Bruce and Dick were highly impressed and told him to embrace his talent because the cause of the Batman shouldn't dominate your life.

I've learnt that the hard way, his father told him one night. And I have many regrets.

When Tim and Steph returned a year later, both taller and broader (and deliriously happy as they had entered a committed romantic relationship without letting the ghosts of their past failures get in the way), he brought with him thousands of photos and showed each of them to his family, with Damian clearly glad to see his older brother had embraced his talent, even showing off helping out a few international heroes in crime fighting.

"Impressive, Timothy," Damian replied. "You never broke your promise."

Tim smiled. "I never break promises to family or friends, Damian. And I wasn't about to start now."

Damian returned the smile. "Thank you for the chance."

"Thank you for the suggestion," Tim replied. "You were the one to tell me to embrace my talent and to do it full-heartedly."

"I told you it would make you less useless," the younger boy said.

"Which to you is always a suggestion," the older teen said. "I realise that now. And I hear you have followed through on the same idea."

"Never let a talent go to waste," Damian smiled. "And I've had a lot of help over the year."

"Yes," Steph replied, coming up to hug the boy, who happily received it. The year had changed so much. "I look forward to seeing how Superman and Aquaman's sons, the Flash's twins and the new kid Green Lantern have gotten to like you without threats and fears."

Jason, who had clearly rejoined the family in the year away, chuckled. "They were probably more scared of my girl than they were on the brat."

Tim smiled and looked at Damian, who was glaring at their officially dead brother. "Why don't you show me your work, Damian. Then we can talk about naming your little team. I think I have the perfection suggestion for you."

So that evening, Tim went through his little brother's artwork, offering compliments and suggestions for improvements. Damian felt very proud with Tim's scrutiny, as he didn't hold back, sharing the same eye for art, though the older preferred photos to Damian's sketches and paintings. Nevertheless, it was a means of bonding that both needed to heal their pasts and both embraced it openly.

Cause after all, they were brothers, not by choice and not by blood. But both understood how important it was since they were stuck with each other for life, no matter how long or how short it was. So they would make the most of it.

Tim was glad Damian had been the first to approach him, because ultimately it showed the younger's desire to bury the hatchet between both of them over the first meeting and later misunderstandings. And without the pressure placed upon him by others, the third Robin did so of his own free will. And he got something we wanted out of it.

Peace.

And after all, isn't that what everyone, hero or villain, desires the most?

**Author's Note:**

> Tim Drake has always been my favourite Robin and though I'm not sure if he was a photographer, I'm sure he would've been good at it. Damian is talented too but he is my least favourite Robin because of how he got the role and how he's acted through the years. Regularly, attempts at character development out of self-entitled brat into something more mature gets snatched and that isn't how it should work. Even Jason Todd gets better development as the years go by.
> 
> But alas, it seems we fanfiction writers must indulge in would-be's and could-be's. And we embrace it whole-heartedly.
> 
> And yeah, I'm aware that Jon Kent and Tai Pham aren't pre-Flashpoint but I like them so much I just brought them in because they were pretty much Damian's age. Same with Irey and Jai (Wally West's kids) and Artur (Aquababy who is not dead here because let's just say that there was a small cosmic re-write that led to the baby surviving what Black Manta did to him). And Jason's adopted daughter is an OC. Ideas for names for her and her talents, would love to hear :)
> 
> And yes, I think Tim is giving Damian the idea of calling his new team "Young Justice" since he is part of the "Teen Titans" now. I wanted to hint that Tim isn't Red Robin anymore and he has gone back to Robin again, with Damian not bothered by it, but I leave it to you whether that has happened or not. After all, how many Flashes, Green Lanterns, Thunders, Lightnings, Nightwings and Flamebirds are there active at the moment? It's pretty crowded at the moment.
> 
> Anyway, reviews and kudos :)


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